Sunday, November 18

Confessions with Theresa



I’ve Got a Confession

By: Theresa Dillon

Twitter @TheresaDillon


I’ve got a confession to make. Are you sitting down? You may need to be sitting down for this one. Are you ready?


Okay. (Sigh.)


I’m a Twihard.


In case you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m a “Twilight” fan. Yes, that “Twilight”. Team Edward, entire DVD set, entire soundtrack CD set, signed books and posters to boot. 


Are you still with me now that I got this off my chest?


Okay, good.


This November 21st will mark the 10th anniversary of the “Twilight” film. Let me give three reasons why this is a thing to celebrate (and not mock).




Reason #1:

“Twilight” was directed by a woman, Catherine Hardwicke. Hardwicke shot the film in 44 days on a budget of $37 million, which was reduced because of rights issues to do with the book. Its $400 million global success made her the most commercially successful woman film director at the time. 


Granted I personally think her debut film “Thirteen” is by far her best, most impactful film, I want to celebrate Hardwicke taking the helm. Despite the film, genre, story, or actors/actresses involved, we need to support all women behind the camera. How can they continue on to create their masterpiece if we knock them for one film?




Reason #2:

“Twilight” helped to reboot the vampire genre. You are more than welcome to argue this point with me. Most horror fans insist this is a) not a horror movie and b) not a vampire story as “vampires don’t sparkle.” My response: “How do you know? Have you met one?” 


But I digress. What this film (and book series) did was open the door for a new generation to get into horror. Monster horror hadn’t hit the big screen in such a huge way in years. “Twilight: Eclipse” made box-office history as the second-highest-grossing horror genre. Like it or not, “Twilight” lead the way for “Let the Right One In” and countless others. 


“Twilight” might’ve been the first introduction of vampires to some teens but maybe they graduated on the original “Dracula”, then “Salem’s Lot” and possibly “I Am Legend”. Maybe “Twilight” was that first bite they needed to get hooked and dive deeper into better stories of the macabre. We shouldn’t judge how they got there but embrace them once they’re here.



Reason #3:

We should celebrate what we love no matter the ridicule.


When I read “Twilight”, I was in a funk. A pre-adult limbo of not knowing what to do with my life. I felt stuck and depressed. Then I read “Twilight” within two days and fell head over heels. Did it magically tell me how my life was going to turn out? No. But it was an escape. A much needed one. I needed something to get excited about again and “Twilight” was that spark that got me off my ass.


As Meg Ryan’s character said in You’ve Got Mail, “When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does.”


I didn’t read the book as a child but it did leave its mark on me. Much like “Joe Versus the Volcano” left a mark on my co-worker. And you know what? She shouts from the rooftops how much she loves that film! 


We could all be a little more like her. Love it, own it and high five those that do the same.


Happy 10th anniversary “Twilight”!


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